Reflections
by Mariana1
Summary: Hi, this story is the first I'm publishing on the net so feedback would be very welcome! Ok, in this fic, it's the future in the charmed universe partly and partly it's set in Cole's past. It is based around his and his and Phoebe's (I think they're a goo


Reflections 

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Disclaimer: I do not own Cole or Phoebe or any other Charmed characters in this fic. I only own Petra.

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AN: I always imagine Phoebe and Cole having a child called Petra. I don't know why, I just do. So they are married in part of this fic, in the other part Cole is a small boy/demon.

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19th Century

The small boy hesitated outside of the playground where his mother had dropped him off on his first day of school. She had been disgusted at his lack of courage and told him not to be such a mortal and go into the playground. He had learnt by now not to cry in front of her or disobey, the only thing that ever did was got him a beating. So he walked slowly into the grounds glancing round with wide eyes as his mother had briskly strode off, unconcerned about her son.

An older child, probably about 10 whereas Cole was only 5, came up to him and stole his cap, part of the required school uniform. This boy was twice as tall as he was and Cole jumped ineffectually at his stolen apparel. The elder boy laughed at him as he jumped in vain. Cole started to cry silently, tears falling unbidden from his eyes. This made the older boy laugh even more and some of his friends joined in. Within minutes dozens of children were watching with glee their tormenting laughter echoed around Cole's head as he gazed at them with blurred vision. They started throwing his hat round the circle. Desperately he ran after it. As he ran from one to another of his tormentors the pushed him, one, the eldest of the group, pushed him so hard he fell on his back in the middle of the circle. 

Cole's eyes grew hot in frustration as his head threatened to explode with the laughter and taunting sneers of his fellow pupils. He screwed up his eyes trying to will them all to go away. 

There was a scream and then a deadly hush followed by a continuous wail of pain and terror. Cole opened his eyes and saw his first assailant brandishing a flaming arm. The rest of the group backed away from him scared. 

A mistress ran into the playground to see what was going on and shouted for help and a wet cloth. Cole just looked around dazed, unable to protest when the petrified children signalled him out as the cause of the problem. Angrily, the mistress took hold of his arm and dragged him into the school to receive his 100 lashes with the cane.

That was the first time he thought his mother was right about mortals.

***

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Be what you wanna be,

Say what you wanna say,

Do what you wanna be done,

It don't matter what the others say

Hear what your heart is sayin'

Do what you dream!

***

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21st Century

Cole led his 4-year-old daughter, Petra to the gates of the school. He crouched down and kissed her lightly on the forehead telling her to be a good girl and be nice to the other children. Remembering his own first day at school he pulled her into his arms and gave the tiny girl a fierce hug silently praying that everything went okay for her.

Hesitantly she turned around and stared in wide-eyed fascination at the children surrounding her dressed in bright outfits, screaming, laughing and playing games. She felt alone. Gently her father pushed her into the school ground and said good bye. She turned and ran to him giving him another big hug, wishing he didn't have to go.

She clung to him for a while, until she felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Melinda, her seven-year-old cousin standing next to her grinning from ear to ear. Her two best friends flanked her.

"C'mon Petra!" Melinda said taking her hand and dragging her out into the centre of the playground. Helplessly Petra allowed herself to be pulled along waving to her dad as she went.

Melinda chattered happily to her little cousin introducing her friends, Sofia and Caitlin. She also talked about strange things Petra had never heard of like assemblies and monitors and things like that. Soon they were outside Petra's classroom and there was a nice looking woman standing at the door, She smiled at Petra and asked her name.

"Hi Miss Burton!" Melinda bubbled cheerily, "This is my cousin, Petra. She's new today. I thought I'd better bring her in case she got lost." The teacher crouched down until she was on the same level as the children.

"That was very thoughtful of you Melinda but I'm sure Petra will be alright on her own now." Miss Burton said and Melinda nodded happily.

"See you Petra!" she called as she ran off down the corridor to her classroom, followed by Petra's anguished eyes.

"Hello Petra," Miss Burton smiled at her, "Would you like to come inside?" Petra nodded cautiously, unsure if this person was really nice or not.

Then her teacher led her in and sat her at a table.

The first part of the day went very well. Petra had listened to the story of Cinderella and painted a picture of the sea, She had made friends with the two people sitting at her desk, Sara and Ben. She was beaming happily when the time came for break. 

At the start of the morning break Melinda came and checked that she was all right. After ascertaining this she ran off to play tig.

Petra and her two friends soon found the apparatus. There was a slide and a climbing frame. The three of them played on the slide for a while the sat on the top of the climbing frame and watched the older children play football. 

Halfway through the match one of the players tried to score. The ball he kicked flew up over the net and seemed to be heading straight for Ben. He just sat there watching the ball knowing it was going to hit him and knock him off. 

Unthinkingly Petra grabbed him. All she knew was that unless she did something faster new friend was probably going to be hurt seriously. The drop of about 7-ft was phenomenal to a child that small and she was terrified of what was going to happen. Just before the ball got there she did the only thing she could think of.

3 seconds later, the ball, instead of hitting a small child sailed through thin air. 

Petra and Ben reappeared on the playground surface. Petra smiled happily, glad that she had rescued her friend. Ben, on the other hand, had eyes as wide as saucers and pushed Petra away roughly. Soon a space cleared around her and all the children that had seen whispered to each other eyeing her. Petra's grin faded and she looked around confused. 

The boy who had kicked the ball edged around her making sure he didn't turn his back to her. Wanting to get back to normal Petra ran to Ben and Sara to see whether he was okay.

"Go away!" Sara said as Petra approached, "Leave us alone, you freak!" Uncertainly Petra backed away from them and looked round at all the hostile people staring at her. Tears fell down he cheeks and she looked around once more. Unable to bear the looks she ran threw the people, who parted as she ran, and hid in the toilets sobbing.

When she went home that day she didn't tell anyone what happened.

***

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Anyone who tries to tell you

What you should or shouldn't do

Doesn't really matter do they?

They can't help your dreams come true

And no matter if you're different.

Or if you are set apart

The only ones who matter really

Are the ones inside your heart! 

Be what you wanna be 

Say what you wanna say 

Do what you wanna be done!

It don't matter what the others say.

Hear what your heart is sayin 

Do what you dream!

***

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Cole

Cole was now 10 years old and still at the same school.

It was after school and the children were waiting in the playground for their parents to pick them up. Some of the younger children were playing games rolling hoops on the other side of the playground. Cole was standing alone by the fence watching the others. 

Just then one of the littler children ran up to him pointing frantically behind him where another, bigger boy was advancing. Cole nodded to the younger boy who stood slightly behind him and calmly pushed up his sleeves as the other boy; about 12 years old came towards them. 

Soon he stood looking down on them both and he too rolled his sleeves up.

"What do you want?" asked Cole without twitching an eyebrow.

"He hasn't paid me!" The elder boy said trying to look as menacing as possible whilst confused that this younger boy wasn't cowering in fright and if anything looked slightly bored with the situation. He was new to he school and had not heard of Cole's reputation for 'disposing' of bullies.

"Why should he pay you?" Cole asked coldly. 

"Out of my way!" The boy yelled. 

"No," Cole replied firmly, "I'm not getting out of your way." 

"Get out of my way or I'll beat you up too!" he threatened Cole in a growl. Cole sighed slightly, he always hoped to avoid fighting wherever possible. Without even looking he slammed his fist into the elder boy's stomach making him double up in pain. Then rammed his knee in his face and pushed him against the wall. 

"Does he owe you any money?" Cole asked in a cool tone, more threatening than any other he could have used.

"No," The boy gasped, clutching his broken nose.

"Are you ever going to threaten to beat up any one in this playground again?" Cole queried.

"No," 

"Good, make sure you keep that promise." Cole let him go and then started to stroll away. Suddenly he stopped slightly and turned again to the boy. "Oh yeah, one piece of advice: don't make threats you can't keep." Then he turned and walked nonchalantly to the gate where his mother was waiting for him. 

Unfortunately she had seen the whole affair and used her demonic powers to beat him into insensibility when they got home. for protecting someone other than himself.

That was the last time he protected an innocent.

***

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And if some tells you that

There's something you can't say

You can always know they're wrong 

And say it anyway

And it don't matter if they tell you

Your dreams won't ever come true.

They don't know a thing about you

'Cause I know that they will do!

Be what you wanna be

Say what you wanna say

Do what you wanna be done

It don't matter what the others say

Hear what you heart is sayin'

Do what you dream!

***

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Petra

Petra is also now ten years old and still at the same school.

She was sitting on her own next to the open window and she gazed out of it ignoring her teacher and the rest of the class. It was a beautiful day and they were all happily discussing the holidays that had just passed. The teacher stood up then and asked the class to a hand in their homework, she walked round the class collecting it and stopped at Petra's desk. Petra was still ignoring her and didn't even notice she was standing there.

"PETRA!" the teacher, Mrs Wood shouted slamming the papers down on Petra's desk. Her head snapped round and her hand half-raised, glowing imperceptibly. "Where is your assignment?"

Petra blinked, she had been unable to do her homework over the holiday because of the non-stop demon attacks, and they had just recovered from one when another came round the corner. However, she couldn't tell the teacher about this because, of course, she wouldn't believe her.

"Oh," she said covering her momentary alarm with a quick gesture of her hand, "I didn't do it."

"Oh," the teacher said calmly, "Just like you haven't done any of the homework since you came into my class? Detention after school!" 

"Yes, Miss," she said in a bored tone of voice. Sniggers came from around the classroom, nobody liked 'the Freak' as Petra was called.

"And tell your parents I want to see them after school." The teacher then swept away leaving Petra worrying about her parent's summons.

At lunchtime she was excluded from the other children's games and wandered around the playground alone. No one came near her until, halfway through, some of the girls came up and started to chant at her "Freak, Freak, freak, freak, freak." Angrily she stormed off but they followed her, glad to have found a new game to play. "Fre-eak, Fre-eak!" the chanted and it droned on and on inside her brain, some one grabbed her and she lashed out at them. 

Eventually she could no longer take it and ran out of the school grounds where none of the others were brave enough to venture. She sat on the grass and cuddled her knees to her stomach. Her eyes grew red and her throat hurt with the struggle not to cry. Once, a long time ago, she had asked her parents what to do in situations like this. They had given her lots of advice, none of which worked, and her father had got very angry. After that she had told them that it had stopped because, if they knew it was still going on she was scared that her dad might do something and go evil again. She didn't want that to happen.

At the end of lunchtime she went back in, having missed the actual food. She sat through her history class without hearing a word and barely paid any attention in maths. 

After school she met up with Mel and walked home, her house was only a street away from the manor, where Melinda lived, for convenience in demon and warlock attacks. She walked in and gave her baby cousin, Rhiannon a hug and swung her round in her arms. She plastered a fake smile on her face and walked into the living room where her mother, Phoebe was waiting.

"Hi, Petra, have a nice day at school?" Her Mum asked as she gave Petra a hug.

"Yeah, it was great," Petra lied easily because of practise.

"I'd ask you to invite your friends round," Phoebe continued, "But you never know if a demon is going to attack."

"Yeah," Petra said brightly, lifting Rhiannon into her lap and jiggling the 3-year-old up and down.

"I'm glad you had a nice day," Phoebe walked out leaving her daughter and niece playing together.

***

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No matter what they say to you

Always remember this

A time will come when you will hit

And they will always miss

No matter what they do to you

You must always know

There's a place inside your head

Where they cannot go

Be what you wanna be 

Say what you wanna say

Do what you wanna be done

It don't matter what the others say

Hear what your heart is sayin'

Do what you dream!

***

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Cole

Cole stood before the Source. He had just graduated from the demonic academy and the masters had all agreed that he would be an impressive demon if he could learn to control his human half, which weakened him emotionally and in his powers. His mother had begged this interview with the Source herself so her son would not be considered a second class demon. 

"Come closer." The Source's booming voice commanded. Hesitantly Cole stepped forward. He didn't want this to happen, he had seen what true demons were like. He never wanted to be that cruel.

"Kneel." Again Cole obeyed the voice. The Source lay his hand on Cole's head and Cole could feel a divide coming between his human soul and the rest of his being. He screamed.

"I name you Belthazor." The Source said as Cole's Human visage faded with his soul and became red and demonic, "serve me well."

"Yes master!" Belthazor growled as he arose.

"That barrier," the Source continued shall hold as long as none of your human half's emotions, get too strong. Try not to let that happen, or I shall kill you."

"Yes" Belthazor replied. He was then dismissed.

From then on he was known as Belthazor, one of the most powerful demons ever. He never used the name Cole, until a hundred years later in San Francisco.

***

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Make sure you always remember

Who you really are

Because if you ever forget that

Lost is what you are

And if you know who you are

There are only two more things

The dreams that you hold dear to you

And the names your heart sings

Be what you wanna be, 

Say what you wanna say

Do what you wanna be done

It don't matter what the others say 

Hear what your heart is sayin'

Do what you dream!

***

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Petra

Petra was 15 and on a school trip. The other students had taken the opportunity to gang up on her when the teachers were absent. One of the main aggressors, Phil, was taunting her.

"Hey, Freak!?" He called, "Too good for us to hit back?" he punched her in the eye. She took it with out even blinking. Her parents had instilled in her that if she ever hurt an innocent then her demonic half would start coming through and that, they had all agreed, would be bad. He punched her again and kicked her. Some of his friends joined in. They were kicking and punching her to the catcalls of the on looking crowd. Suddenly Phil pulled a knife. There were a few murmurs of encouragement from the onlookers. Petra did not have enough strength to shimmer before he rammed the knife into her side just under her left ribs. 

The world turned black.

In the blackness a figure appeared, The Source. Petra knew he could enter people's dreams but was being unconscious like dreaming? She shrugged her now fine body and concentrated on him.

"Petra," he said in a benign tone, "How can you go on saving these mortals after all they have done to you?" He reached out to touch her shoulder but she flinched away. "Look at what they're doing to you. Are they really worth it?"

"Yes," she said tightly, "And they are not all like that." Seeing he was getting nowhere the Source changed tack.

"Don't you just want to lash out at them, to hit them, to burn them and destroy them with your power?" Petra hesitated.

"If you do that, I'll give you everything, I'll give you power beyond your wildest dreams, I'll make you my heir. Come with me." 

He held out his hand and offered it to her. Petra thought quickly, she was tired of doing things for these thankless mortals. They hated her and despised her, why should she help them? 

Slowly she reached toward his hand.

_"Petra, Petra, come round, Please Petra, I love you!"_

She stopped, her father's voice reminded her of all the things that she knew, and all her family. She snatched her hand away and smiled.

"On second thoughts…" She balled her hand into a fist and punched the Source solidly in the face.

Everything went black again.

Her eyes felt heavy as she tried to open them, and her side hurt like hell. She blinked groggily trying to bring the people around her into focus.

"Mum, Dad?" she asked questioningly and was immediately enfolded in a huge warm and loving hug from her parents. Around her the whole Halliwell clan stood strong as a family.

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And the only ones who really matter

Are the ones that you love

The ones that for whose smiles you live

And pray to up above

Be what you wanna be, for them

And say what you wanna say

And all your dreams will come true some day

Because of them!

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The end, please review!


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